Maybe the kids are off to college, or maybe you just don’t need all the space. Regardless of the reason for considering a smaller St. Louis home, the more preparation you do in advance, the better. Even if you currently have a spacious home with plenty of storage, it doesn’t need to feel like an overwhelming process. Downsizing is a terrific opportunity to scale back on the things you don’t need, and it allows you to be creative with your new space. If you’re considering downsizing in St. Louis, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Get Organized

Perhaps you’ve just started house hunting and have a good block of time before moving, or maybe the closing on your new home is right around the corner—in both instances inventorying everything as you pack, from bulky items like furniture down to the tiny things like cutlery, will help you get a handle on what’s ahead. Then, you can arrive in your new space with less stress and only the things that are going to stay. You’ll probably need to do a second round of organizing and purging when you arrive, but if done well the first time, you’ll be able to settle in much more easily with a reduced workload. Try hard to let go of the pieces you don’t need instead of paying to cart them to the new place and having to pay to cart them off again. This will also ensure the new space isn’t overcrowded giving you ample space to get it set up.

Make a Schedule

It’s a great idea to set aside some time in your calendar specifically for downsizing. Break it down by room to give yourself some direction. Chipping away at the move, little by little, can make it less overwhelming and make sure you’re on track as your moving date approaches. Knowing that you won’t have to do everything in the last few days is a tremendous relief and will allow you to execute the move with minimal stress.

Enlist Support

If your move is to a considerably smaller place, enlisting some professional help is a good idea if it’s in the budget. Do ample research to make sure you find a reputable service or consultant that matches your style. Letting go of personal items is always a challenging process, so it’s helpful to work with someone like-minded. Friends and family can be great sources of assistance but be cautious—If your aunt Helen is going to refuse to let you part with a single thing from your past, perhaps save her help for the unpacking.

Look for Inspiration & Purpose

A new space allows you new creative freedom. Watch a few design documentaries, check out a home-design book or two, and do plenty of online research for downsizing inspiration. If you’re more of a visual person, consider Pinterest, where you can find images of smaller homes grouped together.

Preparation

When you have a good sense of the square footage and storage arrangement in the new space, you can utilize your current space for a dress rehearsal before you get to the actual moving. If the new place has 5 closets while the current one has 9, empty out your closets at home and start working with only 5. You can get a better sense of how your furniture will fit if you tape off parts of your floor to approximate the size of the new space. Taking time to experiment in your current home can make the transition to the new one much more efficient.

Downsizing allows you to let go of excess and find new freedom in a new space, but that doesn’t mean the process will be seamless. If you give some of these tips a try to streamline the process, you may have increased motivation you need to get there.

If you need any recommendations for local Realtors, movers, designers, etc.—please reach out. I’d be happy to help you find a good fit. And, if you need to review all the available mortgage options, don’t hesitate to call.